Hong Kong leader honours Asian Para Games athletes at awards ceremony
Hong Kong Chief Executive praised the city's 150-strong delegation to the 5th Asian Para Games, which won 41 medals including three golds. The government has increased funding for disabled elite athletes by over 50 per cent in five years, with direct subsidies raised 8.3 per cent since April 2026.
The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attended the awards ceremony for the city's delegation to the 5th Asian Para Games on 13 November 2026. He congratulated the athletes for their outstanding performance at the games, Asia's largest multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities.
Hong Kong sent more than 150 people, including 80 elite athletes and over 70 professional support staff, who competed in 10 sports. The athletes won three gold, 14 silver and 24 bronze medals, totalling 41 medals. The lawn bowls team achieved its best-ever result with two gold, three silver and three bronze medals. The swimming team won one gold, three silver and five bronze medals, including a gold and bronze in the women's S14 100-metre butterfly. The table tennis team took five silver and 10 bronze medals, the fencing team won three silver and five bronze medals, and the badminton team secured one bronze medal.
The Chief Executive praised the athletes for their hard work and perseverance, saying they embodied the Hong Kong spirit of resilience and determination. He thanked the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, various sports associations, coaches and medical teams for their support. He also thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club for providing prize money through its Elite Athlete Award Scheme.
The government has increased funding for training disabled elite athletes. In the 2026-27 financial year, it will provide about HK$71 million to the Hong Kong Sports Institute for this purpose, representing a budget increase of more than 50 per cent compared with five years ago. Since April 2026, the government has raised direct subsidies for all elite athletes, including those with disabilities, by 8.3 per cent. It has also added an 'adult team' category to the disabled elite athlete tier, further improving the training pathway.
The government will continue to provide systematic training and comprehensive support through the Hong Kong Sports Institute, including training facilities, professional coaches, and sports science and sports medicine services, to help athletes compete at international level and bring honour to Hong Kong and the nation.
